Cannes Dance Festival

A quarter of a century of dance at the Palais des Festivals

The Cannes Dance Festival – French Riviera France is a leading cultural event celebrating contemporary dance in all its forms. Created over twenty years ago, the festival is held annually at the Palais des Festivals et des Congrès de Cannes, a venue world-renowned for hosting the Cannes Film Festival. Under the artistic direction of Didier Deschamps, it has established itself as an unmissable event for dance enthusiasts and professionals alike.

An exceptional international program

Each edition brings together around twenty international companies from eight to ten different countries: Spain, South Africa, the Netherlands, Portugal, Germany, Italy, Belgium, and many more. The program features approximately fifty events, including world premieres, French premieres, and Southern France premieres. This geographical and artistic diversity offers a unique panorama of contemporary choreographic creation.

Performance venues across the French Riviera

While the Palais des Festivals is the heart of the festival, the event extends across the entire French Riviera thanks to the collaboration of nine partner cultural institutions. Performances are also presented in Antibes, Nice, Carros, Grasse, Mougins, and in the Var region. This regional dimension allows the festival to reach a broad and diverse audience, far beyond just the residents of Cannes.

MOV'IN Cannes: dance and cinema

The festival includes MOV'IN Cannes, an original program that combines dance and cinema. Student panels actively participate in the selection and screening of films blending the two disciplines. Screenings are held publicly before a jury, creating a space for dialogue between choreographic and cinematic arts. This innovative section reinforces the multidisciplinary dimension of the festival.

Workshops, masterclasses, and encounters

Beyond the performances, the Cannes Dance Festival offers a rich program of encounters and exchanges. Workshops and masterclasses allow amateur and professional dancers to work with renowned choreographers. Round tables, conferences, and backstage encounters provide privileged access to contemporary choreographic creation. The festival has become a place for reflection and training as much as a performance venue.

An now annual festival

Initially biennial, the Cannes Dance Festival has become annual, reflecting its growing success and its commitment to establishing itself durably in the cultural landscape of the French Riviera and the nation. This evolution allows for a renewed program each year and helps to build a loyal and ever-larger audience. The festival benefits from exceptional technical conditions at the Palais des Festivals, with world-class stages and equipment.